Windows 8 will feature Hyper-V guest OS machine virtualization

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In an interesting twist, Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 8 will feature the first-rate, enterprise-echelon Hyper-V machine virtualization hypervisor. This will mean that Windows 8 users will be able to run almost every other operating system inside a window, including Windows 7 and XP, SUSE and Red Hat Linux, and more (including Ubuntu) with a little hacking. Prior to Windows 8, Hyper-V was only available in Windows Server 2008 or as a standalone OS.

Now, at its most basic, this will just mean that you won’t have to download the free (and excellent) VirtualBox software if you want to virtualize a guest operating system — a very useful feature for power users and developers who want to try out different build and runtime environments, but not exactly a killer feature for consumers. Unless… what if Hyper-V comes with a copy of Windows 8 (or 7) guest OS pre-installed?

Just imagine this for a moment: you boot up into normal, running-as-root/administrator Windows 8. Once Windows 8 finishes loading, Hyper-V then boots up a virtualized instance of Windows 8 — so you have Windows 8, and another completely separate copy of Windows 8 running in a window. You can then do anything you like with the virtualized OS without affecting the main, host OS. At its most basic, you could use the in-a-window OS to safely surf lewd and/or malware-ridden websites — but you could also use it to open untrusted files, play around with system files, and so on. Virtualization is, in essence, the best security sandbox money can buy.

Furthermore, bundling a virtual machine manager with Windows 8 means that Microsoft can relax it’s truly heroic backwards-compatibility efforts. This isn’t to say that Windows 8 won’t run legacy, Windows XP-era software, but if it happens to be slightly glitchy… then just install XP under Hyper-V. Microsoft could also make this “compatibility layer” transparent: imagine opening an incompatible Windows XP program, but instead of being told it won’t run, Windows 8 automatically opens a virtualized instance of Windows XP, and then the program.

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“imagine opening an incompatible Windows XP program, but instead of being told it won’t run, Windows 8 automatically opens a virtualized instance of Windows XP, and then the program.”

RemoteApp. And I do believe this is where its all heading. MS technologies are really going to converge with Windows 8, its going to be big i think.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QOTCSTXUKNPYJUZXW67MFQBVG4 John Smith

Cool, because I still like playing MechWarrior and it only runs on windows 95

http://twitter.com/stationstops StationStops

Wow, huge blow to VMWare.

Ty Smith

I am waiting for Bare Metal Client Hypervisors to take off. Virtual Computer has a good one. (4.0 looks promising) and Citrix has one too.

http://twitter.com/myrmidonical myrmidonical

Hyper-V is a bare metal client hypervisor

Ty Smith

It looks to me it is a bere metal SERVER hypervisor. and CLIENT hypervisor is completely different.

http://twitter.com/myrmidonical myrmidonical

Hyper-V is a bare metal client hypervisor

Anonymous

Finally! A type-1 hypervisor on the desktop. Desktop virtualization actually has a chance in the market now. Not even VMware would be able to create the kinds of unified management solutions Microsoft will be able to with a native desktop hypervisor. Wait until it gets down into the silicate!

Anonymous

On my Windows 7 x64 PC, I use VMware Player. I chose it over Windows XP Mode because of one thing: 3D acceleration.Some games don’t run well within Win 7 and I no longer have a computer with which to install Windows XP. My other computer, a Dell laptop, has no Windows XP drivers.For this to work, Microsoft should give hardware access in the Guest OS to the physical hardware or a “bridge” to them of some sorts including support for higher resolution above 1600×1200, 3D acceleration support (even up to DX10 if possible), and also better Linux support.I have two guest VMs– Windows XP Pro SP3 and Linux Mint 10. One for older games (XP) and the other for web page development since it has Apache/PHP/MySQL installed (Linux).I honestly have found Hyper V and Virtual PC to have less features than VMware’s solutions. The lack of 3D graphics acceleration is the biggest sticking point in Hyper V and Virtual PC (and XP Mode itself). If Microsoft wants this feature included in Windows 8, then add more features to it that is on par with VMware’s products.

Vincent Peters

“imagine opening an incompatible Windows XP
program, but instead of being told it won’t run, Windows 8 automatically
opens a virtualized instance of Windows XP, and then the program.”Ehm.This has landet SOME time ago.for reference: “Windows XP Mode” – Windows 7https://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/default.aspx

Vincent Peters

“imagine opening an incompatible Windows XP
program, but instead of being told it won’t run, Windows 8 automatically
opens a virtualized instance of Windows XP, and then the program.”Ehm.This has landet SOME time ago.for reference: “Windows XP Mode” – Windows 7https://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/default.aspx

Anonymous

Based on my readings on other sites about this feature, Hyper-V in Win8 is a Type 1 hypervisor, which means you don’t boot into Win then load Hyper-V, you boot into Hyper-V then load Win8.

So, by default, the “regular” instance of Win8 is also a guest OS.

http://www.mrseb.co.uk Sebastian Anthony

Yes, kind of — but the ‘main’ OS has low-level access to the system, while ‘guest’ OSes don’t.

But yeah, Hyper-V is very low down the stack.

Anonymous

I got around to reading a bit more, it sounds like even though they’re technically all guests OSs, there is the one “primary” OS that gets special treatment, which would be the “main” OS that you mentioned.

I’m not absolutely for sure about any of this, but that’s what I got out of it.

Really cool stuff.

Anonymous

I got around to reading a bit more, it sounds like even though they’re technically all guests OSs, there is the one “primary” OS that gets special treatment, which would be the “main” OS that you mentioned.

I’m not absolutely for sure about any of this, but that’s what I got out of it.

Really cool stuff.

Anonymous

Based on my readings on other sites about this feature, Hyper-V in Win8 is a Type 1 hypervisor, which means you don’t boot into Win then load Hyper-V, you boot into Hyper-V then load Win8.

So, by default, the “regular” instance of Win8 is also a guest OS.

http://www.TheGuruReview.net TGR

As Little Kim would say-Damn Thats Hot-

Anonymous

“You can then do anything you like with the virtualized OS without affecting the main, host OS. At its most basic, you could use the in-a-window OS to safely surf lewd and/or malware-ridden websites — but you could also use it to open untrusted files, play around with system files, and so on.”
I’m not sure I totally agree with that statement.. I know – theoretically at least, I have no concrete evidence, but have heard Gibson and Laporte mention it before, that it is quite possible for network oriented malware to jump from the VM, to the host OS, and if that’s true – you know that any malicious attacker will exploit it. Still, a VM, if utilized well, can definitely help thwart against all the other types of malware vector attacks, something else the consumer could use; they even may feel somewhat less anxious to try a new program or whatever and not have to worry too much about it burning their machines and wind up calling you with “HI! I OPENED AN EMAIL AND NOW MY PC ISN’T WORKING, PLZ HALP!” =D (emphasis mine)

http://www.mrseb.co.uk Sebastian Anthony

Yes, very true, network-oriented malware could jump to the main OS.

You could always disconnect the VM from the network before running any untrusted EXEs, though… if you wanted to be extra-safe :)

Anonymous

You could, yes, but how would a regular consumer know (whether within a VM or not) what .exe’s are trusted or not? Heh

Also, can you see your mom unplugging the network cable? Ha!
Developers yes, regular folks no… Still, I think its a good tip you bring up. This is a step forward to help alleviate the spread, especially if they get the VM to perform well. Laggy VM’s won’t win a lot of people I suspect

http://www.mrseb.co.uk Sebastian Anthony

Well you would have to automate it!

It wouldn’t be hard to have a ‘safety mode’ where the OS automatically closes the network interface before running an EXE…!

We’ll see. I doubt this kind of functionality will find its way into Windows 8 — but you might see it as third party software or something :)

Anonymous

“It wouldn’t be hard to have a ‘safety mode’ where the OS automatically closes the network interface before running an EXE…!”
Now that would be great. Hopefully Microsoft heard you Sebastian! =D

http://twitter.com/jakson0100 jakson robert

More likely Pro, which is the main business version. But they might
throw it into Home Premium too. After all, the goal here is to establish
Hyper V as a standard vs VMware, so the more people who know it/use it
the better.